Connector



July 18, 1939. A. A. BERNDT ET AL. 2,166,458

CONNECTOR Filed Nov. ll, 1937 Patented 18, 1939 PATE-NT ottici:

CONNECTOR Arthur A. Berndt and Homer C. Nycum, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Electroline Company, Chicago,

Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 11, 1937, Serial No. 174,006

3 Claims.

The invention relates to connectors for con' ductors and the like used in electrical transmission and which have one or more wires of higher tensile strength than the others.

An object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector which will rapidly and eiectively join conductors and which will have a high conductivity equal to or better than that of the Wire joined thereby.

Ilt is a further object of the invention to provide a fitting such as a. connector having'means 4for securely and iirmly gripping and holding a wire and also having auxiliary gripping' means acting conjointly therewith for insuring good electrical contact therebetween A further object is to provide a connector of the type above described having main and auxiliary gripping members, wherein one` set of gripping -members is wedgedinto contact with the conductor by the tapering end walls of the housing and wherein the other set of grippingmembers is wedged into contact with the conductor by means independent of the housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connector which will be simplel in construction, economical -to manufacture and which will be well adapted for the purposes described.

With these. and various 'other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation,A as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the speciiication, drawing and claims appended hereto.

In the drawing which illustrates an embodiu ment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is an elevational view, parts being shown in section, of a connector embodying features of the invention;

'Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the electrical-contact gripping member;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the member shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is 'a sectional view, parts being shown a in elevation, of a modified form of connector embodying features of the invention.

'I'he improvements of the invention materially increase the electrical conductivity of, connectors of the type shown in the Berndt Patent No.

50 1,955,528 granted April 17, 1934 by meansof an auxiliary gripping member which is purposely gripping members of relatively hard, high resistance metal which have as their primary function the holding or gripping of the wire, Whereas, the flow of electric current from the Wire to the housing of the connector is taken care of by v.the low 5 .resistance gripping members.

Referring to Figure 1, the connector consists of a tubular housing or casing I2.of any suitable metal having good conductivity, such as copper, steel or ferrous alloy, Aand which is provided at 10 each end thereof with tapering end portions I3. Each tapering end portion is formed with anI opening I4 of considerably smaller diameter than the size of the cylindrical portion of the casing. Located within the casing'and more particularly within each tapering end portion thereof is a one-piecel multi-segment gripping member designated in its entirety by I5 which is purposely made of soft low resistance metal to facilitate the ow of the electric current therethrough. The member I5 is provided with a--central bore I6 for receiving theV wire or strand I8, the said bore being smooth throughout its length and the tapering exterior of the member also being smooth and conforming to' the slope of the end portions 25 ofthe casing. The member I5 is approximately divided into two parts as a result of the cuts lo cated diametrically opposite each other, the lower of said cuts, as shown in Figure 2, forming a recess 20 which extends for the length of the mem- 30 ber, iwhereas, the upper of said cuts forms the slot 2I and completely separates the opposed portions of the member. In the absence of the slot and recess the member would have absolutely no compressive ability but as a result ereof the said low resistance gripping-member has limited compressive ability and will therefore grip the wire or conductor suliciently to insure a good contact between the parts.

For securely holding the wire within the con- 40 nector the invention provides additional gripping members 22, their main functionbeing to securely hold the Wire to the casing and there- `fore these members are formed of hard, hign resistance metal. bers are in the form of segments, each having a tapering exterior and providing teeth 23 for engaging with the wire conductor inserted within the connector. The segments are preferably held together to form a unit by the resilient spring 24, which seats Within the groove 25 `formed on the exterior surface of each segment. The mechanical gripping members arc disclosed as comprising a plurality of separate independent segments only for purposes of illustration, it being As shown in Figure l, the mem- 45v understood that a one-piece multi-segment member or other form of gripping means may be substituted therefor. A floating sleeve. 26 is 1ocated within each'end of the casing I2, back of the gripping members I5, respectively, each sleeve receiving a set of the high resistance mechanical grips and providing a tapering interior surface with which the grips engage. The forward end of each floating sleeve is flared as at 21, this end having contact with the one-piece multi-segment member I5.v The rearward end of each sleeve has a cylindrical portion 28 adapted to receive the reduced end of the spring seat 30. The shoulder 3|, 4formed as a result of the increased diameter their open ends directed toward each other.

of the spring seat 30 toward its open end, forms a stop, limiting the movementl of said member Within sleeve 26. A coil spring 32 is conned between the opposed spring seats 30 which have It will be observed that the spring seats do not contact the mechanical grips 22 but instead apply pressure t'o the floating sleeves 26 which are accordingly forced outwardly toward the electricalcontact gripping members I5.

Upon the insertion of a conductor within an opening I4-of the casing l2 the said wire will pass through the bore I6 of the member I5 which will have a` tight-sliding fit with said wire. Further insertion of the same will cause the forward end of the wire or conductor to enter the passage provided by the gripping members 22. These gripping members will be carried as a unit by the said conductor toward the spring seat 30,'whereupo'n further movement inwardly of the wire will force the same completely through the passage so that the teeth 23 have engagement with the exterior surface of the wire at the forward end thereof.4 as shown more particularly in Figure 1. When an attempt is made to Withdraw the conductor from the casing I2 the parts comprising the present connector will travel outwardly along with the wire until the one-piece member I5 is brought into contact with the tapering end portion of the casing. As a result thereof movement' is likewise prevented of the floating sleeve 26 'which results in bringing the mechanical grips 22 into firm and secure contact with the tapering interior wall of the said sleeve. Outward movement of the conductor is thereby prevented and 'as the tension on the conductor increases, the

vholding power of the mechanical grips likewise` increases, it being clear that the segments 22 will bite farther intov the metal of the conductor as the said segments are forced into the restricted portion of the sleeve. The tension of the conductor is transmitted from the sleeve to the one-piecemultisegment member I5 which is accordingly forced into firm and secure contact withfthe tapering walls of the casing. This causes the member to contact, the slot 2| gradually closing,.bringing the surfaces of the/opposed portions together, A

and the member thereby increases its grip on the conductor, which, however, is limited to the eX- tent of the slot 2 I closing. This compressive ability of the member I5 is. however sufficient to insure good electrical contact. The ow of the current is facilitated through this member due to the fact that it is formed of a soft, 10W resistance metal.

' 'III In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 4, the connector can be reclaimed. In other words, it is possible for the workman to release the gripping action of the mechanical grips and withdraw the wire from the connector. 'I'wo separable casings are employed in this form of casings, the portions 31 are formed first andafter the various elements of the connector are inserted within the casing, the opposite ends thereof are swagged down to form the tapering portions 38. Accordingly, assembling consists in first inserting within each casing the eletcricalcontact gripping member 4D which is substantially as shown in Figure 2, being formed of soft low resistance metal having a vrecess formed longitudinally therein and also a longitudinal slot to impart a limited value of compressive'ability to the member. However, integral with each member 40 is an extension 4I which projects through the opening in this end of the casing. The extensions 4| each have an inspection opening 42 and the said extensions are suitably connected together as by welding so that the casings v and 36 are joined through the low resistance gripping members 40.

The mechanical gripping means comprising the segments 43 of hard high resistance metal, having teeth 44, are positioned in the opposite end of each of the casings and are retained together as a unit by resilient means 45. The segments have a tapering exterior and areJ in all respects similar to the segments 22 described in connection with the modification of Figure l. As shown with respect to casing 35 the mechanical grips are resiliently forced into contact with the tapering ,t

walls of portion 38 by a coil spring 46 which is confined between the said segments and a washer 41. Said washer is retained in position by means of stops 48 punched in the casing 35. With respect to-casing 36 the washer is omitted and these alternative forms are shown merely for purposes of illustration as either form or both may be used in a connector.

- In using the form of connector shown in Figure 4 the wire or conductor is inserted completely through each casing, thus forcing ,the forward end of the said conductorvinto the bore provided by its respective gripping member until the extreme end ofthe same is visible to Atheoperator by looking through the inspection hole 42. When the proper size conductor is used the same has a relatively tight ysliding fit with respect vto the bore in the gripping members 40 which insures good electrical contact andl the flow of the current takes place from the conductor through the mem-.

bers to the other conductor. In the act of inserting a wire the mechanical grips will be automatically separated, permitting passage of the wire through the easing. The coil spring win "be reclaimed as it ispossible to insert a reclaiming tool inthe ends of the casings and release the mechanical grips which thereupon free the conductor. A t

The invention` is not to be limited to or bydetails of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawing, as various-Y` other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in theI art without departing from the spirit of the invention-or the scope of the claims. g

Y What-is claimed is:

arcaica 1. A connector for connecting wires, comprising a pair of casings; each having oppositely directed tapering end portions, means connecting the casings including a gripping member having location within each casing and adapted to contact the tapering end walls of one end thereof, each gripping member having an opening in the same for receiving a wire inserted within its casing, and additional gripping means within each casing for also gripping and holding the end of the Wire inserted within the same. 2. A connector for connecting wires, comprising a pair of casings each having oppositely directed tapering end portions, means connecting the casings including a gripping member having location within each casing and adapted 'to contact the tapering end walls of one end thereof, each gripping member having an opening in the same for receiving a wire inserted within its casing, additional gripping means within each casing including segments of wedge-shape for also gripping and holding the end of the wire within 'its respective casing, said segments having con` tact with the tapering walls of the other end. portion of its casing, and re'slient means maintaining each gripping member and the said additional gripping means properly located within the casing.

3. A conector for joining wires, comprising a pair of casings each having oppositely directed tapering end portions, means connecting the casngs including a gripping member located within each casing and having contact with the tapering end walls of one end thereof, each gripping member being formed of soft low resistance metal and having an opening therein for receiving the end of a Wire extending within its respective casing, whereby the connecting means also aidsv in the ow of current from one Wire to the other, additional gripping means in each casing including segments of wedge-shape formed of hard high resistance metal foralso gripping and holding the end of the wire within its respective casing, said segments having contact with the tapering walls of the other end ofits casing, and resilient means within each casing maintaining the gripping member and said additional gripping means properly located.

ARTHUR A. BERND'I'.` HOMER C. NYCUM.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No'. 2,166,158

July 18, 1939.

ARTHUR A'. BERNDT, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification ofthe above mimb'ered patent 'requiring correction las follows: `Page 2, first colinn, line 60,101 the vvord 'contact" read contract; and second column, lith@ 9-10, fOI "eletcrical-contact" read electrical-contact; page 5, first colmnn, li1 f1e4 25, claim V2V, for "reslient" read resilient; and second column, line. ll.: C1a1m5, for "conector" readconnector; andv that the said Letters .P'atent should be read with thi'sjcorrection therein `iorm to the record,I of the'caaein Patent Office.

that the san'ie may conn Signed and' .sealed this 19th day of September, A; Dc 1959..A 

